Judo – European Championships: Dicko falls from high, two Frenchwomen in semi

While aiming for a sixth European champion title, Romane Dicko was eliminated in the quarterfinals. However, Léa Fontaine will compete in the semifinals, just like Kaéla Issoufi. In the men’s category, Mathéo Akiana Mongo was beaten from the start.

With nine medals, but only two gold, France ranks second in the medal standings before the final day of the European Judo Championships in Tbilisi, behind the host country, Georgia. However, they still have a chance to win three more medals on Sunday, including two gold ones. Crowned European champion in the cadet category in 2016 (in +63kg), in the juniors in 2017, and then in the seniors in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025, Romane Dicko was obviously aiming for nothing less than gold in Tbilisi in +78kg. But the double Olympic bronze medalist failed in her quest. The world No. 3, who only needed 86 seconds on the mat to eliminate the German Lilli Louise Wojta (112th) in her first fight, was trapped in the quarterfinals by the Estonian Emma-Melis Aktas (16th), whom she had beaten at last year’s World Championships. Aktas managed to take her to golden score, and a yuko after 5’53 of fighting made the difference. It’s a big disappointment for the French judoka, who will now face the Israeli Yuli Alma Mishiner (11th), whom she defeated in the Euros last year, in her first repechage fight.

Fontaine to take the lead?

While Dicko failed in her quest for gold, France can count on Léa Fontaine, often in the shadow of her compatriot, who has a great opportunity to steal the spotlight from Dicko. The 24-year-old judoka, European silver medalist in 2021 and bronze in 2024, has indeed reached the semifinals. After benefiting from the withdrawal of her Croatian opponent Tina Radic (24th) in the first round, the 5th in the world eliminated Mishiner with an ippon after 1’04 of fighting. She will face Aktas in the semis, the one who defeated Dicko, whom she has never faced before. An opportunity to avenge her compatriot? In -78kg, Kaéla Issoufi (25 years old) is participating in her first European Championships. And she will also compete in the semifinals. The French, 9th in the world, spent only 78 seconds on the mat in her first fight against the Belarusian Slaviana Rylkevich (47th) and then 37 seconds against the Israeli Inbar Lanir (14th) in her second. In the semifinals, she will face a very tough challenge against the Italian Alice Bellandi, 2nd in the world and reigning Olympic champion, who eliminated her last November in their only encounter.

The French settle for four medals

Among the men, no Frenchman was competing in the -100kg category. However, Mathéo Akiana Mongo represented the French team in the +100kg category, the category of Teddy Riner, who is absent this year. But the 19-year-old judoka, 53rd in the world, was eliminated from the start by the German Erik Abramov (42nd), after just 28 seconds of fighting. The Frenchman was not given a chance to compete again, and the French male delegation therefore leaves Tbilisi with four medals: gold for Luka Mkheidze and bronze for Walide Khyar, Dayyan Boulemtafes, and Maxime-Gaël Ngayap Hambou. That’s one less than last year in Podgorica.